Improved skate



@uiten gisten iii-getest @fitta RBERT E. ELLERBECK, OF WASHINGTON, DlSTRlC/T OIF GLUMBI.-

' Letters Patent No'. 61.409, dated January 22, 1867. i

IMrRovnD SKATE.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY C'ONCERN:

.Be it known that I, ROBERT E. ELLEnBEcK, of Washington, in the county'of Washington, and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Skates; and I'do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thcreof,rcfercnce being had to the, accompanyingdrawings, making part of this specification, and to the letters'oi' reference marked thereon, like letters indicating like parteA wherever they occur. i

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

My nyention consists in so constructing the attachment of askate as to fasten it securely to thevfoot, and at the same time dispense entirely with the use of straps.

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2, a side elevation.'v

Figure 3, a rear-end view. Y

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical section, taken on the line a; :u of iig. 1.

Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8 are views of portions shown in detail.- c

A represents the blade of my skate, which is made-in the usual manner. To the front portion of the blade is secured a plate, B, for thc vfront portion of the foot to rest on. Another plate, C, is attached for the heel to rest on these plates being made with a lug or shank, @which projects downward from their under sideand straddle the blade A, to which they are fastened byvscrews or rivets, as shown in gs. 2, 6, and 4Q .To the front. plate B, a clip, a, shown in plan in iig. 8, is attachedby a screw passing through a slot therein, and being screwed into the under side of the pla'te B, the outer end of the` clip a being turned up and made to incline slightly inward, to clasp theV sole of the boot or shoe, their inner faccs, lWhere they lcome in contact with-the edge of the sole, being roughened, to give them ay firm hold onA the sole and prevent slipping or becoming loosened. These clips a are not placed directly opposite to each other,` but are placed as shown in tig. 1, one being considerably in advance of the other, the object of which arrangement will be hereinafter stated. At the front edge of the heel plate C is secured a raised piece, o, which extends entirely'across the plate transversely. In'

'the rear face oi" this piece o, above the plate C, is formed a dove-tailed groove, as shown in g. 2, and as represented by m,'of iig. 3. This piece o is curved, as shown in tig. 1,' it forming the segment of azcircle, having its centre at the centre of the front plate B. On the front face of the heelof the boot or shoe is secured a small metal plate, at, shown, with its screws for attaching it, Ain fig. 5. On the frontof this plate,'-at its lower edge, is a projecting lip, t, formed to't accurately in the groove in the rear face'of the projection o, on plate C.,V The piece o has a hole in it, through which projects the point of a catch, e, attached'to a`spring,f, vvhich is secured to the lug b of plate C, as shown in iig. 2, the spring and catch being also shown in iig. 3. The skate is applied to the foot in the position indicated by the blue lines on iig. 1, the clips a being iirst adjusted tosnit the width i of the sole, and the skate is then swung around at the heel until it is brought straight under the foot. By thus springing the heel around, the clips a are made to clasp tightly on the'sole, and the plate n, attached to the heel of the boot at the same time, slides into the groove in the piece o, where it, is securely held from moving sidewise by the catch'e entering a notch or hole in thevlipt of the plate n. ,By these simple means the skate is rigidly and securely fastened to the foot. If desired, the clips a may be arranged to move diagonally on the plato B, as indicated by the dotted lines inlgl, and secured-from turning by being fitted in grooves or other v-isc, by which means they will be less likely to spread in use. Instead of the dove-tailed groove in the projec-V tion o, the groove may be. made as Vshown in'igs.'6 and 7, the plate nl beingv formed to correspond therewith. The springf may also be attached to thc under side of plate C, with its catch e fitting up through a holetherein,

to engage in a similar hole or Anotch in plate 'l-L, as shownl in fig. 7. `By these means construct a skate that dispenses entirely with the use'of straps, leaving the muscles and veins`of the foot free to act Without obstruction. Skates thus constructed can be, attached or detached inV an instant, it only being necessary to press down the springf, and push the heel to one'side until the plate n is disengaged from the piece.

Having' thus described my invention, what I claim, is 1. The laterally adjustable clips a, attached to the skate, on a line diagonal to the longitudinal plane of the blade A, for the purpose of grasping and securely'holding the boot or shoe when applied thereto, Substantially as shown and described. i p

2. The projection o, having a groove formed therein, and: arranged to operate in connection with the plate n, and secured by the atch e or its equivalent, substantially s set forth.

3. In combination with the clips a, arranged as desoribed,-I claim the grooved projection o, and plate n,

springf, and Acatch eZ arranged to operate as and for the purpose set'forth.

' RBT. ELLERBECK.

Witnesses:

W. C. DODGE, P. T. DODGE. 

